Although WikiLeaks purports to merely reveal information for the public’s benefit, further analysis shows that its intentions are not quite that simple. Its revelations help the public very little, if at all, and many of their disclosures risk much more than they offer to the public. Though there has yet to be measurable proof of extreme damage to national security from WikiLeaks, this organization poses considerable danger to national security.

In April, President Xi Jinping visited the Uyghur Autonomous Region and spoke specifically on the issue of combating terrorism. China has recently developed a new National Security Commission to deal with “unconventional security”. Given the escalating situation in various autonomous regions, the likelihood that China will develop a broader official counterterrorism program under the new commission is high. XinJiang Autonomous Region stages some of China’s most violent separatist movements, the most violent of which being considered as developing terrorist-threats. This new commission and subsequent program could be a major opportunity for the U.S. to deal directly with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the police force. In previous attempts to foster greater cooperation, the military has been the most difficult point to reconcile.

Venezuela faces a severe crisis of leadership. The economy is in a tailspin with inflation rates around 50 percent, crime rates are at record highs, and protests are sweeping the nation. But a discontented majority party and fractured opposition have little trust in their leaders. What does the future hold for Venezuela, and should the United States play a part in the unfolding events?

Since the formation of the Chinese Communist party, the world has watched China evolve into the world power it is today. However, the rise in Chinese foreign investments indicates a weakening homeland where Chinese billionaires do not want to store their capital. Consequently, China is playing a deceiving game of economic protectionism masked by a rise in soft power. The fact that both the Chinese state and private sectors are seeking to move significant amounts of capital overseas as opposed to investing at home, however, is a reflection of perceptions of the condition of the domestic economy.